Aakyiir, M.Yu, H.Araby, S.Ruoyu, W.Michelmore, A.Meng, Q.Losic, D.Choudhury, N.R.Ma, J.2020-08-102020-08-102020Chemical Engineering Journal, 2020; 397(97, article no. 125439):125439-1-125439-101385-89471873-3212http://hdl.handle.net/2440/126899Data source: Supplementary data, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.125439It is a challenge to compound hydrophilic MXene nanosheets with hydrophobic elastomers for various applications such as stretchable devices. In this work, Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets of 3.5 ± 1.0 nm in thickness were chemically modified by a facile method to enhance compatibility with a common elastomer, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the presence of nitrogen in the MXene through the modification by allylamine, whilst Raman spectroscopy revealed an increase in =O groups, exposing more reactive sites on the nanosheet surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the disappearance of –C=C bonds in the nanocomposites as well as the breakage of –C≡N bonds, confirming that allylamine bridged MXene nanosheets with the matrix molecules. X-ray diffraction study showed the complete exfoliation of nanosheets in the elastomer matrix at 2.0 vol%, as confirmed by TEM micrographs. At 14.0 vol% MXene, the Young’s modulus, tensile strength and thermal conductivity of NBR were improved by 700, 240 and 440%, respectively. A percolation threshold of electrical conductivity was obtained at 3.9 vol% of MXene while thermal conductivity at 19.6 vol% – 1.01 W·m−1K−1 – outperformed previous elastomer nanocomposites containing boron nitride, zinc oxide, graphene nanoplatelets and alumina.en© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.MXene; Elastomers; NanocompositesJournal article100002154310.1016/j.cej.2020.1254390005423192000052-s2.0-85084818468533675Losic, D. [0000-0002-1930-072X]